This invention relates to fixed seating arrangements, and more particularly to a seat slide assembly for a fixed seating arrangement.
Fixed seating arrangements are commonly employed in classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, restaurants and other areas. In one common arrangement seen in the prior art, a fixed seating arrangement includes a stationary base member mounted to a floor surface and connected to an upwardly extending table support pedestal. The pedestal is then typically connected to a horizontal seat support. Several such fixed seating arrangements utilize a cantilevered swing arm connected to the pedestal to support a seat member. In these cantilevered assemblies, a pivot member attached to the swing arm near the pedestal facilitates horizontal adjustment of the seat in relation to a table surface by a user. This horizontal adjustment is desirable for obvious reasons in that it is intended to allow for comfort, as well as ease of entry into and exit from the seating assembly.
Although swing arm assemblies are designed to allow individuals to enter and exit the attached seat with ease, they are limited in their ability to enable individuals of extreme height and weight to attain a fixed comfortable range from the desk, table or countertop. Most known swing arm assemblies simply freely pivot between an open position, wherein the seat is away from the desk or table, and a closed position, in which the seat is stationary under the table. The traditional swing arm arrangement does not allow different individuals to incrementally adjust their seat in relation to the table or lock in a comfortable distance from the table. This is problematic for individuals at the extremes of the typical weight and height standards. For these individuals, the prior art swing arm assemblies may position them in awkward uncomfortable positions either too close or too far from the table.
As an alternative to the cantilevered swing arm assemblies, fixed seating arrangments have developed to include seating assemblies wherein the seat is attached directly to a separate seat base member secured to the floor, as opposed to a swing arm attached to a pedestal. Although these alternative fixed seating arrangements provide a stable chair, they do not allow for the motion of the chair as in the prior art swing arm assemblies, and thus do not allow for horizontal adjustment of the chair in relation to the desk or table. Therefore, despite the advantages of these fixed seating arrangements, one of the shortcomings of these arrangements is that the seat is always located at a predetermined fixed distance from the front of the table or countertop. Usually, this predetermined distance is chosen to reflect the size of the average individual. As can readily be appreciated, because of the different physical characteristics of different people, this fixed distance is often uncomfortable to many individuals. That is, because of the limitations of the prior art fixed seating arrangements, an individual's height, physical stature or other physical characteristics may make it difficult and uncomfortable for them to sit comfortably at a table, desk or counter utilizing a fixed seating arrangement. The individual may not be able to comfortably work at a table assembly for extended periods of time. Accordingly, it has been found that some individuals, sitting at fixed seating arrangements in an educational environment, lose focus and attention when they are distracted by their discomfort as a result of a particular fixed seating arrangement, thereby resulting in a less than optimal learning environment.
A variety of seat slides and other means of lateral adjustment for seating assemblies are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,700 to Kubo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,676 to Arruza, U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,718 to Cooper, U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,641 to Infanti, U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,786 to Kirkland et al. all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Despite these references, problems and disadvantages exist with such prior art designs. In some prior designs, the devices include complex mechanisms for rotation and translation operations. Several of these mechanisms are often difficult to operate, are expensive to construct due to a large number of components and are often not compact, rendering them impractical for many potential applications. Furthermore, many of these designs do not provide a cover over the translation mechanism, thus resulting in a cluttered and unsightly appearance beneath the chair.
In view of the foregoing, it is one object of the present invention to provide a seat slide assembly for a fixed seating arrangement that may be adjusted in a horizontal forward and backward direction so as to be, respectively, moved closer to or further away from a table, desk or work surface in order to comfortably accommodate individuals of various physical characteristics.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a safe and easy-to-operate seat slide assembly wherein an attached seat may be readily moved away from or towards a table or work surface.
It is yet another object of the subject invention to provide a seat slide assembly including a readily accessible handle for actuating adjustment of the seat towards and away from the table or work surface, thereby facilitating ease of entry and exit as well as comfort for seated individuals of different physical characteristics. A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of assembling a seat slide using a cover, to hide components of the seat slide assembly.
It is another object of the invention to provide a seat slide system that uses fewer materials, and provides a more finished look than existing seat slides. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of assembly that can be used to relatively inexpensively manufacture a seat slide system. Still another object of the invention is to provide a seat slide which provides adequate structural support yet is economical to manufacture and easy to install using existing equipment.
Consistent with the foregoing objects, the present invention contemplates a seat slide for a fixed seating arrangement that allows for controlled horizontal movement in relation to a vertical seat post, as well as a method of assembling a seat slide.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a seat slide includes a cover defining an upper and a lower attachment surface. The upper attachment surface is configured for attachment to the bottom of a seat, and a seat slide top member is attached to the lower attachment surface. Opposed sides of a bearing member are attached to the seat slide top member and to a seat base located below the seat slide top member. A seat slide handle connected to the seat slide top member is selectively engageable with the base, to allow for incremental adjustment of the slide top member. The seat slide further includes one or more bearing stress relief members attached to the seat base, which are configured to receive and support the bearing member. In one form, each stress relief member is in the form of a bracket attached to the seat base. The seat slide handle may be formed to include a tab configured to selectively engage openings formed in a side plate extension associated with the base, for selectively fixing the position of the seat.
The invention further contemplates a method of assembling a seat slide. This aspect of the invention includes the acts of providing a seat slide comprising a cover defining upper and lower attachment surfaces, a seat slide top member configured to be attached to the lower attachment surface, at least one bearing member configured to be attached to the seat slide top member and a seat base, and a seat slide handle configured to be connected to the seat slide top member. The method further includes the acts of providing a seat base and a chair having a seat mounting member attached beneath. In addition, the method contemplates the steps of attaching the bearing member to the seat base and attaching a handle to the seat slide top member, as well as attaching the bearing member to the seat slide top member and to the cover.
Another aspect of the invention contemplates a seat slide assembly, including a pair of bearings attached to a seat base which defines a side member having a plurality of adjustment slots. A seat slide plate is attached to the bearings, and a control member is attached to the seat slide plate. The control member is engageable with the adjustment slots on the seat base, thereby allowing for selective lateral adjustment of the seat slide plate in relation to the base.
These, and other aspects and objects of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such changes and modifications.